press trust of india UNHQ, 12 July Pakistani teen activist Malala Yousafzai today told the UN that she would not…
press trust of india
UNHQ, 12 July
Pakistani teen activist Malala Yousafzai today told the UN that she would not be silenced by terrorist threats, as she gave her first public speech since being shot in the head by the Taliban.
“They thought that the bullet would silence us, but they failed,” Malala, who turned 16 today, said at the UN General Assembly as she appealed to the international community to put in greater efforts to get children into schools.
“Lets pick up our books and pens. They are our most powerful weapons. One child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world. Education is the only solution. The terrorists thought they would change my aims and stop my ambitions, but nothing changed in life, except this: weakness, fear and hopelessness died. Strength, courage and fervour was born,” she said in her speech that saw many standing ovations.
To mark her birthday, the UN has declared 12 July as ‘Malala Day’. At the heart of ‘Malala Day’ is a call to improve the lives of some 57 million unschooled children by improving education access by 2015.
Malala became a global icon for girls’ education after being brutally attacked by Taliban militants while on her way to school on 9 October, 2012. The Taliban said they shot her because they opposed her efforts to promote girls’ education.
They have made it clear she remains a potential target. She was flown to the UK for life-saving treatment and still lives there, but the attack has greatly boosted her campaign for greater educational opportunities for girls.
Advertisement
